| Voice of Mahe : Ms.
Saraswati
Mahe District
Area, Population & Sex Ratio
Analysis Geographical Area : 9.0 Km2
Population in Mahe (Census 2011)
Total Population
Total : 41,934
Male : 19,269
Female : 22,665
Disabled population
Total disabled population : 685
In seeing : 222
In speech : 86
In hearing : 58
In movement : 189
Mental : 130
Rank ( VoiceOfBharat.org Analysis
)
Backwardness : Does not figure in list of 447 backward
districts
Sex Ratio Rank : 584
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : D
(HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 - 2006)
Disability : 593 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 3 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Brief About Mahe District
HISTORY
On examination of the history of Kerala no concrete evidence
is available mentioning the place ‘Mahe’ other wise called by the
natives "Mayyazhi". It is only after the settlement of the French,
the name Mahe (Mayyazhi) got a place in the geographical map of
India.
Early in the 18 th century, the French set up a trading post at
the Calicut. In 1701, Mollandin the representative of French East
India Company made idea for setting up an attractive place for French
trading post. As a result, during the year 1721 Mr.Mollandin &
Vazhunnavar of Badagara entered in to an agreement to install a
trade center at the side of an estuary of the river now known as
Mayyazhipuzha. Within a spell of two years the relation between
Vazhunnavar of Badagara & the French were strained & French
were forced to retire to Calicut in a state of defeat in the fight
. By December 1725 a French troupe led by De Pardaillan recaptured
the French post at Mahe. There was a young captain serving under
De Pardaillan, whose skill & enterprise was mainly responsible
for this recapture. As his name was Mahe De Labourdannais and as
the local name had a close similarly to his name, De Pardaillan
paid the handsome tribute to this Captain by naming the place after
his name.
In the annexure to Martineau’s book on the origin of Mahe refers
to the place as ‘ Maye’ and only after the recapture of the place
by Mahe De Labourdannais it is spelt as ‘Mahe’. Between English
and French seven years war was faught which lasted till 1760, and
the French has lost almost all settlements in the West coast , except
Mahe.
In 1761 the English captured Mahe and the settlement was handed
over to the Rajah of Kadathanadu. The Hyderali from Mysore made
siege over Kadathanadu. But during this time English restored Mahe
to the French as a part of treaty made in Paris. In 1779 as a result
of the Anglo-French war broke out, the French lost Mahe .In 1783,
when the English agreed to restore the French their settlements
in India , Mahe also was handed over to the French in 1785. The
reign of Mahe changed hands before it came into the final possession
of the French during the second decade of eighteenth century.
When the Independence of India from the British was accomplished
on the 15 th August 1947, there were similar freedom struggle movements
in Mahe also . On 20 th October 1948, large scale movements aroused.
An enraged crowd paraded the streets of Mahe, raided Government
offices and buildings and pulled out the burnt records and furniture.
On 23 rd October 1948 the Union Flag was hoisted over the administrative
Office in the presence of thousands of people. During 1954 the struggle
intensified with sporadic incidents of violence and finally on 1.11.1954
Mahe was handed over to the Government of India de-facto . The Dejure
transfer took place on 16 th August 1962.
ABOUT MAHE
A land that satiates an intelligent tourist, Indian,
as well as foreign. For, this small land, its every nook and corner,
has got its own wonderful story to tell, which keeps your eyes wild
with awe and excitement.
If, as a French Tourist has once reveled in, there
is any place in India that makes and keeps its own history as a
beautiful legend, that is Mahe fantastic blend of Myth and Mystery.
Mahe is a tiny point in the Geographical map of
Kerela, the million earner for the distant Pondicherry Government,
630 kms away from Pondicherry. In this former small French Town
which covers an area of 9 Sq. kms , over 36,000 inhabitants live
in peace. This petit French Town is situated on the West Coast of
the Indian Peninsula between 11 Degrees 42' and 11 Degrees 43' Northern
Latitude, and between 75 Degrees 31' and 75 Degrees 33' Eastern
Longitude, just between Badagara and Thalassery, 58 kilometers from
Kozhikode, 24 kilometers from Kannur in Kerala State and is a busy
trade centre
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